From 27–29 September, members of the Rescue Swimmers Association (EURORSA) from 11 different countries travelled to Tenerife in the Canary Islands for the HeliresQ Trauma Life Support workshop. Members were joined by Ursuit, Lifesaving Systems and Leonardo Helicopters – the major partners from the previous rescue swimmers’ meeting in Cascais, Portugal – as well as local search and rescue (SAR) helicopters from the Canary Islands.

The workshops have a far more practical aspect in comparison with the meetings, with this one focusing on pre-hospital trauma life support. While many rescue swimmers around the world have medical training, others who are primarily focused on maritime rescue operations may not have this level of training. While these maritime SAR units do not routinely respond to the cases that involve the level of trauma faced by dedicated helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) units, there may be occasions where rescue swimmers are faced with trauma without advanced clinical support on hand. As such, rescue swimmers have a significant responsibility to provide a solid foundation of early advanced first aid that can then be built upon by medical professionals. Over the course of the workshop, swimmers were able to work under the expert instruction of clinicians from Fermon Indis and J&E Diforsa in managing major hemorrhages, airways, splints and other vital first aid interventions.

The instruction and assessment culminated with a team challenge where students raced through an obstacle course that included various first aid tasks, requiring the interventions to be conducted correctly while under time and physical pressures.

Developments in training

Apart from trauma management, the workshop was another opportunity to focus on core skills for rescue swimmers. The workshop got underway in the pool with the EURORSA physical test, designed to prepare swimmers for the challenges that they’ll face in the water. For the first time at a EURORSA event, the water test was followed by a land component, incorporating cardiovascular fitness and patient carrying elements.

The second day commenced with presentations from local HEMS and rescue agencies. Leonardo Helicopters followed with a briefing to members on new developments in SAR operations and training, including the use of augmented reality (AR) training. Members had the opportunity to observe the AR training firsthand, in a limited form, by undertaking a simulated hoist cycle.

The final day saw swimmers challenge themselves in the dynamic pool at Tenerife Top Training, utilizing drysuits from Ursuit and the TRITON harness from Lifesaving Systems. The dynamic pool lets the current be incrementally increased to speeds of 2.5m/s or 5kts. This controlled variation in speed allowed swimmers to experience the extra effort required to swim in full gear compared with swimming in ‘clean skin’. The dynamic pool also gave swimmers the chance to experience the strain and then release from the hook under load through the use of Lifesaving Systems’ quick-release device on the TRITON harness.

When all the studying and learning was completed, members and partners were then able to take in the gorgeous waters of the Atlantic whilst observing aquatic rescue demonstrations from the helicopters of the Canary Islands government rescue service (GES) and of 802 Squadron of the Spanish Air Force, a wonderful end to an amazing few days.